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About last night ...
posted by Mike Boone at 23h17 EST on Oct 30
Why is it that every mistake this team makes turns into a goal against.
In a 2-2 game, with the Canadiens certainly playing well enough to get a point in a tough building, Andrei Kostitsyn is mugged like a Buffalo cabbie by a slick Patrick Kane move, and a nanosecond after the puck was on Patrick Sharp's stick, it was in the net.
Carey Price did not look great on Sharp's medium-range blast from the slot. But making his first start in two weeks, The Franchise played an excellent game.
Price handled the puck with authority. Several of his 33 saves were spectacular.
I think Price is back, and that's the most encouraging thing about this team as the first month of the season winds down.
I'd come back with Price against the Leafs in what's going to be a crazy Halloween game at the Bell Centre. He plays well against Toronto, and he fdeserves a chance to further buttress his claim on the Number 1 goaltender's spot.
Other than Price's effort, there weren't a lot of bright spots.
• Max Pacioretty might have played his best game of the season. The kid has a lot of tools – speed, size, offensive instincts – and Max-Pac showed them to advantage against Chicago.
• Travis Moen, who had seven goals in 82 games with Anaheim and San Jose last season, has four already. They've travelled a total distance of 10 feet, maybe.
• Jaroslav Spacek played 25 minutes and was plus-2 (as was partner Roman Hamrlik) against one of the six teams he's played with in the NHL.
• After a shaky effort in Pittsburgh, Glen Metropolit continued to make you wonder why six teams have given up on him.
• Kyle Chipchura continues to look like an NHLer. I liked him going after the much bigger Andrew Ladd after the hit that knocked Matt D'Agostini out of the game.
Thus endeth the positive notes ... although I guess we can add grit and character in coming back from a two-goal deficit against a really good team in a hostile building.
Negatives?
• Faceoffs were brutal. Tomas Plekanec was 4-10, Scott Gomez 8-12. Their struggles really hurt the PP, and when Dave Bolland won two draws in the dying moments, the Canadiens couldn't get anything going with the extra attacker.
• Time to tinker with the PP. Opposing PKs are aggressively playing the puck and MAB is not getting any good looks from the point. This should open things up down low. And if Tomas Kopecky can pretend to be Johan Franzen, surely someone on the Canadiends can play that role.
• AK46 was lost on the top line. Jacques Martin has to reunite Gomez, Brian Gionta and Mike Cammalleri against Toronto. They, along with the 3Ms, are the only forwards capable of generating sustained pressure.
• Maxim Lapierre, easily 2008-'09's most improved Canadien, is doing nothing.
• Guillaume Latendresse played 7:40 and had one shot. He's not scoring, he's not hitting, he's not going to the net. This is is a guy who aspires to be a Top 6 forward?
The Canadiens aspire to be a playoff team; and to their credit, they weren't humiliated, as they had been in Pittsburgh, by a bona-fide Cup contender.
But looking at what Sidney Crosby and Patrick Kane have done this week, don't you vaguely wish the Canadiens had finished dead last and snagged a number-one draft choice a couple times.
As it is, however, the team will try to ride its highly-drafted goaltender and its highly-paid FAs to ... well, to what exactly?
Bounces and breaks presumably will even out over the course of a long season. But on the evidence of the games – especially the ones against good teams, on the road – we've seen to date, this team's margin of error is agonizingly thin.
The Blackhawks weren't great tonight. They won anyway.
By contrast, the Canadiens, on any night they're less than great, don't have much of a chance.
They'll probably be without D'Agostini for the Leafs game.
Not a crippling loss comparable to Andrei Markov – and man, could they have used him against Patrick Kane – but D'Ags is a better player than either Gregory Stewart or BGL.
And if he's out for a while, I'd like to see Tom Pyatt – or SK74 – get a call-up
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simple math. NO SECONDARY SCORING = NO PLAYOFFS.
The problem is obvious...we need second/third line scoring...the word is out in the NHL...shut down the GGC line and we have nothing...Gainey needs desperately to get second/third line scoring or we're dead this year
That's what you get when you build the team through FA. We don't have enough good players. That Kane is sick. He is so fast and makes everyone goods bad. He has more energy than Gomez.
http://www.thestar.com/sports/article/719159--habs-sniper-cammalleri-cou...
If the Habs finished dead last Timmins would go and draft some high schooler from Minnesota.
Time for an organizational change.
Gainey, Gauthier and Timmins need to go.
Six years of nothing.
No signs of impending greatness.
Just a lot of middling mediocrity.
Whoopee.
and who would you suggest replace them? you can bitch and complain but not offer some alternatives?? You seem to have all the answers so I assume you have an extensive background to provide us with some insight. So your team Prez...who are you phoning?
No way. The GM's in places that get high number one picks look good because it's easy to put someone anyone next to Sydney Crosby. Give me a break. Gainey has done yeoman's work with little to work with. In a place no free agents would come, he is getting great free agents. With a team that never finished bad enough to pick up a sure thing superstud first rounder we are always competitive even coming in first in the conference just 2 years ago. Boone was talking about Shero the other night, and I think Shero does not hold a candle to Gainey. It's much easier to tinker with cheaper short term players when you are loaded with super stars. Gainey has a tough job made no easier by these crazy expectations. He can't trade a pile of poop for a super star ... other teams are not dumb. He consistently wins trades though. Look t Pacioretty and Gorges for a free agent to be Rivet. Look at getting a useful Pyatt out of the Gomez deal. Everyone bashed him for that, but now Pyatt looks like a steal. Kovalev for Balej ... He wins trades, and signs good free agents. Again we are not the New York Yankees who can sign all stars at every position, we play in a hard salary cap league, and our team spends to the cap.
Of course Timmins could pick a Patrick Kane or a Crosby if we ever let our team suck enough to do so. Remember how much trouble Chicago and Pittsburgh were not so many years ago though. It's a dangerous place to allow yourself to dip down to.
GO HABS GO!
Andre Savard want to pick Kopitar, Timmons wanted to pick Price, Gainey went with Timmons. Mistake???
I'll let you know in 15 years!!!
The one pick that does stand out in my mind was when Timmons & Co choose Ben Maxwell one pick ahead of the Bruins picking Milan Lucic. Even before I saw who chose Lucic, I screamed at the PC screen, knowing full when Lucic had all the tools of the kind of players Montreal lacked & yet they pick yet another smallish, talented, often injured ceterman!!!
That said, I never expect Lucic to turn pro & play as well as he has, as quickly as he has.
Savard wanted Brule, Timmons wanted after Price after Pouliot was taken fourth. We certainly lucked out not getting Pouliot or Brule (who is finally showing something but not Price level)
Go back & check the articles, Savard was very upset, because he wanted Kopitar.
I read Bruins scouts had Maxwell first as well but had to settle for Lucic?
well it's better than picking benoit pouliot who we rated higher than price.
- we need a MARKOV.
It's too simple to say you should have picked Lucic in retrospect. I call balderdash ...
GO HABS GO!
I'm telling you how I felt at the very time, if you don't believe me that is your choice!!!
This is why I post here very little.
Ya, i know. We're all brilliant scouts from our couches eating cheesies.
Go Habs Go!! "I can't hear what Jeremy (Roenick) is saying because my Stanley Cup rings are in my ears" - Patrick Roy
I don't eat cheesies
It just goes to show it's not east to rebuild from mediocrity. We rank right behind Detroit in organizational ranking. That went down after trading away McDonaugh, but it's still not so bad.
http://www.hockeysfuture.com/nhl_organisation_rankings/?start=12
Go Habs Go!! "I can't hear what Jeremy (Roenick) is saying because my Stanley Cup rings are in my ears" - Patrick Roy
I was always curious as to why MAB was still available after the season started. I thought, 'Why hasn't any other team picked him up"? After a couple of games with us, it became glaringly obvious. He's a mini me version of Hal Gill, everytime he touches the puck in our end, everyone cringes, same as Gill. You know that one of their bonehead moves will lead to a turnover and subsequent goal. I suspect Bob hired him cause, A) he was a deal, B) he's a francophone and C) Bob's got a thing for short players.
It was frustrating to watch how many times we were prevented from entering the Hawks zone, yet it seemed to be open season in our end. Our D is like that Levee in New Orleans, and we keep trying to patch it up with bubble gum.
I whole heartly agree.
Add to that, I cringe when ever I watch Spacek make those high risk pass' across the front of our net or trying to throw the bomb up the midlle of the ice from behind the goal line. He will get taken advanage of & it will cost the team. I have flashbacks of Brisebois when I see him on the ice. At least Patrice would have come at less than half the cost. BTW, I shed not one tear when Brisebois did not return, so that tells what I think of Spacek!!!
I mentioned on another site this morning, our D looks worse than it did last season.
Infact, Gill, Bergeron & Spacek are as bad or even worse D-men than Komisarek, Bouillon & Brisebois respectively. Mara at least looks like an improvement.
I'm not saying you're wrong, tony, but let's not forget he did not have a traing camp and may still be getting into game shape. He's never been known to be great defensively, so I'm thinking Bob got him because Markov went down and MAB did score 14 last year. He needs to play on the PP, maybe 4on4, and 5-8 minutes besides that.
Go Habs Go!! "I can't hear what Jeremy (Roenick) is saying because my Stanley Cup rings are in my ears" - Patrick Roy
Does anyone else feel like punching the screen when they see Timo's comments? It seems more & more like he's just another troll. I've yet to see anything positive from him. If the Habs win 10-2 one day, he'll come on here and write about how the defense sucked on those 2 goals and that Gainey screwed up by signing the top line bacause they only had a total of 7 points in a 10 goal outburst!
Timo, go back to watching bowling because obviously you don't know Jack *** about hockey!
Man, that felt good.
Go Habs Go!! "I can't hear what Jeremy (Roenick) is saying because my Stanley Cup rings are in my ears" - Patrick Roy
Computer monitors are just too costly. The guy's avatar is quite easily recognizable. Your assessment is pretty much bang on IMO. The guy does seem to have a following here at HIO, but why should that be a surprise? Personally, I find his comments boring and predictable. Scroll button please.
just treat timo like pierre mcguire...they essentially echo the same opinions...and are both pissed bob gainey didn't call them for their opinions before making a move.
- we need a MARKOV.
Maybe Timo really *is* Pierre McGuire!! That would explain a LOT.
...........
"To you from failing hands we throw the torch. Be yours to hold it high."
I STILL BELIEVE. I WILL ALWAYS BELIEVE.
Timo is NOT a troll. I believe that he loves the Habs, and is frustrated with the past 15 years of mediocrity (longer, really - we won the last 2 cups with not great teams, but great goaltending). We all feel his pain, but we all express it differently. Give the guy a break.
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Just as no culture has a monopoly on beauty or value, no religion has a monopoly on truth - Voltaire
I am really grateful to him for having such a recognizeable avatar. I can just keep going. I wish that a few others were as easy to spot. For example: I always seem to start reading that Exit Strategy guy before I realize who it is.
That being said, these guys may be correct, but they incessantly repeat the same views -- over and over and over.
See my response earlier...
"If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail." (anon)
You can knock Georges Laraques, but the team plays bigger and with more confidence when he is in the lineup. I suspect he'll be dressed tonight.
I agree ant though nobody cares to admit it, he plays a decent puck possession game and sometimes creates chances because of it.
Go Habs Go!! "I can't hear what Jeremy (Roenick) is saying because my Stanley Cup rings are in my ears" - Patrick Roy
Poor BGL is just another mistake that Gainey made.
http://www.torontosun.com/sports/columnists/rob_longley/2009/10/31/11588...
On the Ladd hit:
I know I will be accused of being a shrinking violet, but so be it. Head shots have simply got to be policed out of the game. It is possible to play physical hockey without trying to hurt somebody. It is also possible to bodycheck another player without driving upwards into their heads.
The Richards hit was "clean", but it was also vicious and completely unnecessary. That was not a play to neutralize a threat, but instead a play that was designed to neutralize a player. The Ladd hit was borderline clean, with the only problem being that he left his feet an instant before making contact. But again, it was a "hit to hurt", as opposed to a hockey play.
Very few of the best players in the NHL need to try to hurt somebody to be effective. Lidstrom, Niedermayer, Markov and even Chara are all examples of defencemen who know how to use their bodies to separate the puck from the opposing player while still leaving them in a position to steal the puck and make a play. Malkin, Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Hossa, and Crosby are all guys who generate all kinds of turnovers by playing the man AND the puck, meaning that they can neutralize the player but are also still in a position to get the turnover.
I know that many will disagree, and so be it. But I think the NHL should consider something like the soccer card system for head shots: when the referees review the game afterwards (which they are already doing), players should be assigned "yellow cards" for unintentional head shots, and "red cards" for intentional head shots. Red cards would automatically correspond to suspensions, while yellow cards would result in suspensions if players collect more than one as the season progresses.
Players today are too big, too fast and too well armoured to be allowed to take shots at one another's heads. With all the data building up about the long-term negatives associated with head trauma in professional sports, I am frankly shocked that it is not the players themselves that are pushing for changes. Shocked until I realize that many of these players are the same dopes who think that wearing a visor (in a game with 6 ounces of rubber flying around at 90-100 miles per hour) somehow makes them less tough.
Whether these hits pass the legal definition or not, they are viscious and meant to really hurt. I know the PA is in dreadful shape, but since the league is on standby mode, I think it has to figure out some way to protect its members.
An automatic 5-minute penalty for any contact with the head would solve it all. Players would change their habits.
If we can have an auto 2-minutes for pucks out of play (90% of them accidental), we can have 5 minutes for head shots, accidental or not.Also auto 2-min for a stick touching a player's head - auto 5 minutes for a scratch with a drop of blood. Why not the head shots?
Any play that is deemed to be "intent to injure" should be an automatic 0ne-game penalty minimum. That would take care of Richards and Ladd.
I don't personally think there was anything even remtely brderline about Ladd's hit. He jumped and launched himself into his victim and targetted the head as the point of impact. That kind of hit has one and only one intention and that's to maim. Hitting to hurt and hitting to maim are two VERY different things and this league just REFUSES to take those hits targetting the opposing players' heads seriously. Worse they've decided to crack down on the players who try to protect their teammates from them while the league refuses to. I've said for a long time now that it's going to take a death on the ice in a major North American league to do something to finally get through to these thick bozos in charge like Brian Burke and Colin Campbell.
Unfortunately, we're still all holding our breath around this area of the country and waiting for news on a local OHL player who was air lifted to Hamilton with a major head trauma and is fighting for his life after a downright BRUTAL hit to the head in the Kitchener/Erie game last night. I don't want to get into more details about that one right now, I commented a bit more on the main page and that will suffice for the time being.
I'll get back on the soap box that I've been on about all of this garbage later, as my concerns are currently more with waiting to hear if 16 yr old Kitchener Rangers defenceman Ben Fanelli is going to make it through the night/morning. I'm hoping with everything in me that this turns out to be a close call that smartens up some people in the NHL about how dangerous this headhunting garbage can be and doesn't become the on ice death that everyone with a clue's been fearing it would take to get through to them.
I hope Ben Fanelli will OK...head shots have no place in the game, and something needs to be done BEFORE someone dies. Let's hope we can still say the 'before" after this.
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Just as no culture has a monopoly on beauty or value, no religion has a monopoly on truth - Voltaire
As of noon today, Ben has survived through the night and is in Critical but Stable condition in the top head injury hospital in the area, one of the best in the world at that. (Hamilton).
He's got several skull and facial fractures, including the orbital bone, and a deep gash above his eyebrow but, so far he's managed to keep fighting and is hanging in there.
"before" still sounds really friggin good to me right now still. If it does eventually happen, I don't want to be anywhere near there to see it. Colin Campbell and Brian Burke should be forced to though.
Thoughts from last night:
One of the most disconcerting things about Habs fans is seeing just how much stock people put in wins and losses. In the paper this morning, the Habs 3-2 loss last night doesn't look too bad, given that they were playing on the road against a legitmate Stanley Cup contender. The problem with this is that it in no way reflects the reality of the game: aside from small bursts, the Montreal Canadiens flat out sucked last night against a team (that was missing two of its top three forwards) coming off a loss the night before in Nashville.
I don't actually care too much at the point of the season whether the Habs get a W or a L...I do care about how they are playing. And right now, I see a team from top to bottom that is really having trouble generating quality scoring chances. Both goals last night were of fortuitous type, evidence that the Habs players need to learn how to both shoot and ensure that those shots get through to the goalie...good things can happen. I don't know how you shake up the Habs line-up to try and generate some more consistent scoring across the board. But if Gainey/Martin don't figure it out, this team has no chance. As the team's woeful 2-5 home record reflects, the Canadiens' offence sputters when the opposition dictates the matchups on the ice. Montreal's -12 goal differential on the road is tied with Carolina and Vancouver for second worse in the NHL, behind only Minnesota's -15.
11 games into the season, Montreal is currently ranked 24th in the NHL in 5-on-5 goals scored vs. goals against, with a ratio of 0.73. To put that number in context, the woeful team we got rid of last summer that was over-reliant on the PP was ranked 14th in the NHL with a ratio of 0.96, while the 2007-08 team that "lived and died by the PP" was actually 5th in the league in 5-on-5 play with a ratio of 1.06. If you can't outscore the opposition at even strength, you are going nowhere fast in today's NHL. Thus far, this team looks pretty miserable in that regard.
Despite a massive overhaul that saw the Canadiens ditch 11 players and spend a ton of money, though, we remain essentially a one-line team. AK46 is a historic slow starter, so maybe he starts playing better soon and that cures some of the ills that are plaguing this team. None of the kids is the answer this season. I know we're supposed to wait 20 games, but the issue with the Habs right now isn't a lack of chemistry, it is that they have too many of the same skill set. We have a lot of shifty guys that can dangle with the best of them, but we don't have anybody other than Cammalleri that can actually hit the net consistently. And I don't care if you give them 20 or 200 games, shooting accuracy is something you either have or don't. For too many of the Habs' players, they just aren't very accurate shooters.
There are bright sides...the goaltending has been relatively strong and the defensive play has been more solid, allowing fewer shots on net (although I haven't seen a dramatic reduction in the number of quality scoring chances, due to the Habs' penchant thus far for brutal turnovers). Martin is a better coach than Carbonneau. Plekanec has been playing inspired hockey thus far.
We've got another easy-ish run of games coming up until the next major test in late November and early December, when the Habs face playoff teams from last season 8 times in 11 games. So we'll have to see if they can build some momentum in this soft part of the schedule and then take another objective look at them at that time.
Hard to compete in the NHL these days if you are a one line team...the other teams puts out a checking line, or, matches their best line against the Habs best line...vitually snuffs out any advantage. Add to that no real scoring depth on the second, third, and, fourth lines, inconsistent effort from a group of players which, on paper should provide more spark, and the results are not unexpected. Unless...
In it's present form, this is a bottom end team. It doesn't have to be this way. The way around this dilema is frought with difficulty, but, not impossible. Habs games against top end teams so far this year are, for the most part, disasterous. To even make the playoffs, it is imperative they consistently beat teams at, or below them in the standings. Fortunately, there may been enough games in this regard to keep the Habs in contention for a playoff spot. Some of the problem as I see it are as follows. First, the Habs top end talent level is razor thin, other than the Giant Gionta, and Cammy(Great Hand!), no real "natural" goal scorers. Gomez is definitely a superbly skilled player and set up guy. Pleks has definitely picked up his game, he just needs line mates that play with grit, and without the "stone hands" around the net. So far, the inconsistnecy of second line situation is directly responsible for making the Habs a relatively easy team to defend against. One line status. AK46, Gui, Max Pak, Dags, even Laps, have all been used on the second line. All are too inconsistent in their play, and their effort, to have the desired effect. They can/will not not take their game to the levels required to contribute in a consistant manner. It's really just things like, wanting the puck, winning their one on one battles, not taking lazy penalties, and most importantly of all, in the modern NHL game, going hard to the net, in short, EFFORT!
Defensively, the loss of Markov's skill set, is impossible to compensate. He is a bonified first team all-star. What remains is a rather large hole in the terms of skill level on the back end. Spacek, Hammer, Georges, Mara, MAB, are all serviceable defensemen. Even Gill is not the problem per se. O'Burne if he plays the way he started the year, A good defensive system relies heavily on the forwards playing sound defensive hockey in all three zones. Its really a question of work ethic and determination and team play. It goes without saying that a reduction of skill as you go down a given roster, can be compensated by a will to overcome. In its present form, I'm not confident this team has the required levels of grit, to keep themselves in contention. That will be key. one solution would be to come to grips with the reality of the situation, and adjust accordingly. The Habs, like many other of the less talented teams that make up the bottom end of the NHL hierarchy, will have to adjust. In short, they have to simplify...to create a formula to exploit their strenghts, and minimize their weaknesses. Combine the speed, skill, and grit, of the Gionta, Gomes, Cammillari line, with goaltending that can steal a game or two, add a tenacious defense that consistently clears the front of the net, and throw in role players that refuse to lose one on one battles. Easier said than done for sure.
Successful teams consist of players who know and understand their roles, taking care to dilligently carry out their assigned tasks, and trusting thier teammates to do theirs. If one or more players are floating, or not carrying thieir load, it does not take much to tilt to the losing side of the ledger. This team has some serious floaters, who hurt the rest of the team with their inconsistent efforts...eg.,Gui, AK46, even Laps(Gill is is an issue for other obvious reasons). Their lack of effort/abilities act as a anchor to the rest of the teams' efforts, they create gaps in a team's system that can be exploited by harder working/more talented teams. Then there are the consistent players, Metro, Pleks, Moen, Georges, Hammer, to name a few, who's work ethic is undermined by the guys who do not put out game to game. Thjis pains me to say, but, the Habs, as a bottom end team, with less talent than their competition, can hang around, if and only if, they play every game with maximun effort, while playing a conscientiously boring defensive system. Obviously, this is a tall order, but, a good team does what it needs to do to succeed. The Devils were/are the worst team in the world to watch, but, they feast on their work ethic, and have had amazing success, because they by into their roles. Plus, it doesn't hurt to have had Broduer all these years.
At the end of the day, if they can just hang around in the neighbourhood of the final playoff spot until Markov returns, then they will have accomplished their goal, all things considered. Getting Markov back will be like getting a great pklayer at the trade deadline, and, a further trade at the deadline could provide the needed boost to take them into the playoffs and possibly beyond.
Good post, Chris.
We really need Andrei to wake up and it may be time to call Sergei back up.
I essentially agree with your point about shooting accuracy, but players do go through periods where they struggle with that aspect. Though I am not saying that explains everyone on this team. Also, in the case of younger players they can and have improved in this aspect of the game as NHL'ers. I seem to remember a Sheldon Souray that couldn't hit the broadside of the barn at one time. Sure, in the case of a 30 year old who has consistently shown this weakness(Gomez), waiting for massive improvement is foolhardy, but in the case of young players, or veterans who have been better in the past(A. Kost., Gionta, it is reasonable to expect improvement.
I'm not sure how much better Gionta was in the past. I didn't watch him a lot in New Jersey, but looking up the numbers, he finished 28th, 10th, 26th (in 62 games) and 6th in the league in the missed shots category. Overall since the lockout, he has 990 shots on goal but 431 missed shots, i.e. 30% of his shots are misses.
Thus far this season, Gionta has missed the net 23 times (6th in the NHL) out of 63 shots, for a 36.5% miss rate. He's a misfiring a little above his norm over the past 4 years, but within the same ballpark as his usual totals.
You're right about the offense which is why I've been saying that the whole goalie debate is ridiculous. That simply is not the issue right now.
Man, and these guys are going to have Hossa this month.
And Toews.
I think the way to deal with francophone players in Quebec is to tell the French press what is expected of them so that if it's obvious to everyone that the player isn't doing it, it'll be easier to sit him. If JM came out regularly and said that Lats isn't hitting or getting in front of the net, which is what we want him to do, at some point, I think the media might begin asking Lats about it. Namely, why aren't you doing it?
Just come out and say that Lats isn't a top six forward because he's not doing what he should. And if the media ask why AKoz is getting playing time as a top 6, then just remind them that he has more of a pedigree as a scorer than Lats. Jacques Demers yesterday was saying that it was clear last night that AKoz was trying but that his confidence is shot. As Gomez said, he needs to have a goal bounce off his butt or head or something to loosen the grip a little.
Caper
Hey. We are basically a brand new team with a new coach and without our BEST player. Take out 2 games and we've been respectable. We hang around 500 for a couple months then gel....good things coming people. Like any relationship chemistry takes time (and the chemistry is better than last year).
Our "D" is horrendous led by Hal "Jill." Two more penalties last night.
Mike I agree with pretty much everything up there but I don't hang the blame on Price for the last goal. It was defensive breakdowns galore. If Halak plays tonight, the message to Price is that you lost that game for us and that's just plain ridiculous. This team cannot win many games by scoring two goals, especially against quality opposition like Chicago.
Keep the first line of Smurfs together. They were putting a lot of pressure on Chicago for the little bit they played together and that's possibly with Gomez under the weather. If they can pressure a good D like Chicago's, I don't think they'll be shut out too often which seems to be the big fear of keeping them together.
Second line: if we're not calling up Sergei, then I saw enough good stuff from Pax last night to try him out there for a while. But that's the key to me - let Pleks, Pax and Koz gel a little and see what happens. Pax raised his game to be a solid third liner. Now let's see what his ceiling is.
If D'Agostini is out for a while, I would also like to see Pyatt given a shot. BGL and Stewart are not solutions. Can Stewart be sent back down without clearing waivers? But what's Pyatt's ceiling? Hadn't heard much about him but he's filling the net with regularity. What types of goals is he scoring down there? Moen type goals or "skill" goals? If he looks to have scoring skills, I would hate to have him play the fourth line.
I was ready to throw Chips under a bus but he has really picked up his game and looks like he belongs now. The bus should be reserved for Lats now. I used to defend him but no more. If he doesn't hit or get his butt in front of the net, he should be eating hotdogs. If Gui! doesn't want to deal with traffic, well let him stew. Martin said he could take on a Franzen type role but it's obvious he'd rather be the media darling who is so misunderstood in his quest to be annointed as a top 6 forward despite all his shortcomings. Grow a pair Gui! He's another guy who would likely begin to bust his *** once traded away from the protection of being a francophone. Maybe play him with Metro and Laps and see what happens but that leash must be starting to shorten, francophone name or not. I'm a francophone and I'd like him to sit.
As far as the PP, put Spacek on the right side with MAB on the left side on the first wave. If we're not going to put MAB in a position to use his shot more, then I'd rather have Belle on the team. Another option to me would be to dress a seventh d-man and bring up Carle or Weber as right hand shots mostly for the PP. How about trying Pax in front of the net on the first wave and Moen on the second?
Our D is shaky which is totally understandable. I thought Hammer had trouble last night, despite the plus/minus. The thing I don't want to see this team do however is trade some offensive players or very promising young d-men for an old d-man to shore up a mid term issue with a guy who'll only perhaps take us into the first round. Enough with the Laffs mentality. If we have trouble this year against big teams, then so be it and get a better draft pick. I doubt we're cup contenders this year.
I imagine that D'Agostini won't be able to play tonight so the logical replacement is Laraque. I would also consider sitting Lats down and letting Stewart take his place.
I read posts and the donkeys are out, braying incessantly. AK46's deflection off the bar was the difference in a game where Price played well, yet looked bad on 2 goals. For every great save, another one goes in. Halak should start. He's got the winning record. Style points don't count.
What I didn't like was the lack of physicality, especially by most of the forwards. NO hitters make for fast skating hockey games, but it's not the new Habs' style. They have to hit to be successful. A lot of forwards who did nothing last night had more ice time than Lats. Big guys need time, but if you can't decide on his linemates after 3 seasons, trade him. I'd rather watch him score 25 on another team than hear all the donkeys braying about him on this site. OH, and bleep SK74, too. The spoiled rotten tomato is where his attitude should leve him; in the minors.
Happy Halloween, donkeys.
_________________________________________________________________________
Beliveau- his legend is 600' tall and growing...
Thank you for that constructive post. We need more of your objective and impartial comments .
mjames
... A quote from Mike Cammalleri to RDS - 'We are too Easy to play Against' which is spot on .............. IMO and not Cammy's, this is so typical and a trademark of a Jacques Martin team from the past, who likes Tanquay soft hockey on the road........................................... the seven newcomers have scored 19 of the Habs 33 goals so far this season.
... the Chicago Take ... by Chris Kuc / Chicago Tribune - Hawks Turn Away Habs ..... http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/hockey/blackhawks/chi-31-blackhawks-canadiens-oct31,0,2031873.story ........ (an excerpt) ... Andrew Ladd set the tone early when he caught Montreal's Matt D'Agostini with his head down and drilled the winger in front of the Canadiens bench. Ladd's shoulder and elbow hit D'Agostini high and sent him to the ice and eventually to the dressing room. He did not return.............................. from chicagobreakingnews.com ... Ladd's Big Hit (video) ..... http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2009/10/ladds-big-hit-during-fridays-blackhawks-game.html ........ from Blackhawks Confidential - Kane, Versteeg Energize Hawks ..... http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/blackhawks-confidential/2009/10/youth-is-served-as-kane-versteeg-energize-hawks-to-a-3-2-win.html#more (an excerpt) ..... That alone should be evidence the officials had no idea what happened on the play and maybe overreacted. Ladd's elbow never made contact with D'Agostini. Well, it might have glanced into his midsection. His shoulder to the head did all the damage....... Quenneville said officials told him Ladd was ejected because the other player was injured. Vancouver's Willie Mitchell wasn't ejected when he laid out Toews on UC ice. The Hawks are going to be using that argument in their conversations with the league.
... from faceoff.com / Pat V.Hickey - Huet bests Price ..... http://www.faceoff.com/story.html?id=c86762e9-057e-44b6-99cc-4471d7b79d9a .......... from Habs Eyes on the Prize / Robert L. - Habs Road Woes Continue ..... http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/
They were close... i'd rather have close then the Vancouver game... trust me, I was there.
Chicago is good. So is Pittsburgh, and so was Vancouver. So what, they went 0-4 against 'contenders'. How do you think they feel right now? If you've played sports at a high enough level you'll know how they are feeling... upset that they came close, but satisfied that they can compete. That's better then getting spanked. It's good to know you can compete, and this year's Habs can compete. They will start to string together wins and will take some big games off of big teams. Keep the faith... that's what being a fan is.
I wonder how this team's gonna be like in a couple of years with some of the fresh faces such as: Leblanc, Nattininen, Avstin, Kristo, Subban, Weber, Bennett, Fischer.
With the exceptions of Weber and Subban, I'd be surprised if any of these guys was wearing the CH with regularity in less than 3 years from now, development is key for most of these prospects and they all need time with their college or junior teams before they're ever signed and put on the Bulldogs.
- I shall always remember Captain Koivu.
I wonder how this team's gonna be like in a couple of years with some of the fresh faces such as: Leblanc, Nattininen, Avstin, Kristo, Subban, Weber, Bennett, Fischer.
Price should easily be the starter against Toronto, especially after he denied them victory on Oct. 1st. He could have won the game for Montreal if but for some better defence and more offence from Montreal's side.
I don't think AK46 had that bad of a night, he had a couple of chances that he couldn't execute quickly enough on but he's been improving, I won't hang that guy on the Kane move because Bergeron and Mara both flubbed on stopping that play as well, you stand next to a guy you should be ready to kill off the pass.
Gill and Bergeron made the case for someone to use voodoo to transfer the Markov and O'Byrne injuries to them instead so we can re-establish a Top 4 Defensive grouping.
Lats has got to go, his 13th game was not lucky at all and the 12 that came before it helped in his continuing live-action performance of "I don't know what I'm doing on the ice". Tom Pyatt should do nicely, SK74 should join his brother as well, we should at least bloody well try it before the mob does run him out of town and he goes off and has a great career elsewhere.
Max-Pac, Chipchura had their best games to date but few others did, Travis Moen and Metropolit continue to be great value. Hamrlik and Spacek, very steady night for the two, but I'm concerned they might be a bit worn out for Toronto.
D'Agostini is a blow, but BGL was likely to be on the 4th line tommorow night anyway so he can tilt with Orr or Rosehill or whoever wants to fight and keep that garbage away from our actual skaters. Ideal time for SK74 or Pyatt to come in and make their case for playing after that.
- I shall always remember Captain Koivu.
Cammi says that "it is too easy to play against us"... as per RDS article. No kidding... I think most teams in the league use Habs as a warm up and practice for games against real opponents.
Exactly what it is...
Or... not at all. Yah... not at all.
Probably.
Dude, you're, like as brillant as a sasha cohen blabla movie tonight!
-------------- We have a new team! Mike Komisarek: (-2)-0-(-2) Gainey Haters bandwagon ---> This way
Cammy-Gomez-Gionta
MaxPower-Pleks-Metro
Moen-Laps-Lats
AK46-Chipper-SK74
Do it JM/BG
For every good signing Bob makes there is an equal bad signing as well. Why improve your offense while the defense loses you games? It's like excercising for 2 hrs & going out & eating 2 Big Mac meals. There's no point! It is time to rid this team of Lats or send him down to the AHL. I doubt any team will pick him off waivers.
"Truth! You can't handle the Truth"
Gill's signing at $2 million -plus perseason for 2 years makes me wonder about Gainey's so-called intellict.
Can you only imagine the shitstorm it would create if Lats were put on waivers? I mean... THAT would be fantastic to see.
I'd like to put you on waivers... I think the Leafs forums should pick you up. They could use someone with as much pessimism as you, to bring them back to reality.
...Bergeron should NOT be on the ice unless it is a power play !
...other than that, Price played like Price ...going down too fast on the first goal and not making the miracle saves a superstar does more times than not ...but He was ok with occasional encouraging moments
...I would leave Him in for Toronto ...even though I don't feel any confidence in His game at this time
...Jaro should follow with Our next game if We lose to Toronto ...and hopefully start putting some points on Our Ledger again
...BUT ...be patient guys with the Gills (who are playing minutes they would not be playing if Markov and o'Byrne were with Us)
...the only One I would target if I was Martin is Mr. Potato Head ...Kostitsyn ...I don't know, like Most of Us, WHAT is wrong with Him ...but I would sit Him with the Black Aces ...and hope for some sign of anger or even ANY sign of a human pulse ...nothing else is working
...Our Team is still a work in progress ...let's keep Our heads ...and not discourage the Guys that are bringing IT, by making Them think We are not worth playing for
Habitant means PASSIONATE HOCKEY
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=423049
AK46 bis not your problem. He is not helping us win but his is not single handily causing us to lose. It is just convenient for everyone to bash AK46. There are at least 15 others that are just as responsible for our performance to date.
mjames
I take it HIS you never playing in net right. When the puck is behind the net the goalie doesn't know where & what that player will do witht the puck. It is easier & faster for a goalie to move from post to post in that postition than standing up!
"Truth! You can't handle the Truth"
...Dilly: "I take it HIS you never playing in net right."
...wrong Dilly ...read My bio
...AND, We seem to be talking of TWO Completely Different Things
Habitant means PASSIONATE HOCKEY
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=423049
It's just a loss. No loss feels good.
"[Price] plays well against Toronto, and he fdeserves (sic) a chance to further buttress his claim on the Number 1 goaltender's spot."
Price played a good game, even very good. No fault to him at all for the loss, and I was very pleased with his performance. but why does he deserve this "chance to further buttress his claim on the Number 1 goaltender's spot."? Last I looked, he lost all of his last five starts, while Halak has won four of his last five. You only "deserve" what you earn. Can we not then make the same claim that Halak deserves a chance to buttress his claim on the Number 1 goaltender's spot as well?
Here we go again with the sense of entitlement for Price. He needs to earn his place, not have it handed to him. Sure, give him the start tomorrow against Tarrana. But if he loses, it has to be Halak's job to lose.
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Just as no culture has a monopoly on beauty or value, no religion has a monopoly on truth - Voltaire
This team is as bad as last year's. The 25 mil playing on the top line is worth 10 at best. The others are worth nothing. Why is it every game agaisnt the quality opposition we are reduced to looking for bright spots? Wouldn't it be brighter if they won? But that's too much to as of Bobo's country club. How many more games before the gelling stops and the winning begins?
its only early Timo, but how about those lacadasiacal icing touch-ups by our guys? Of cousres, that Gill guy is a stiff!!!
On the other hand, Gomez, Cammalleri and Gionta are great additions. So is the head-coach, as well as 32. And 15 from late last year is a an upgrade from Kostopoulis. Great to see Komosarik screwing up heavy in Torrona. And Kovolev is not exactly burning it up in Ottawa.
Give it till Christmas Timmo.
So if the team is still this way come Christmas, what then?
"Truth! You can't handle the Truth"
if so at Christmas, fire Gainey
What's the point to do that? What will any other GM do at the half way point in the season? Too late to close the gate once the horse gets out!
"Truth! You can't handle the Truth"
Sasha Cohen Baron is overrated as well.
-------------- We have a new team! Mike Komisarek: (-2)-0-(-2) Gainey Haters bandwagon ---> This way
If the guys could have finished, Price would have 5 assists tonight.
Like you say Mr. Boone, better than Pittsburgh game.
It was a 1-goal loss. Moen line was great. Chicago announcers like Price. Gomez was fantastic. I think he can help AK 46 get going.
Bergeron is terribly weak along the boards. He's good on offence and nothing else.
We have to hustle a lot more on those icings late in game, though, because we lose valuable seconds with those lackadasical touch ups. I remember in the glory days when Robinson, Lapointe, Savard etc would not lay back when coming in on one of those. Skate hard on those, boys.
Hateful leaves on Saturday nite always give us a tough time.
Yeh, Gill is bad, too.
Andrei's been in an extreme funk, no doubt about it, and Jacques Martin's been letting him know for sure....but what about Hal Gill????? can someone explain to me what any body sees in this guy? has one of the worst +/- in the league, is a league leader in turn overs (just last week he ranked 1st in the NHL in that department), takes awful penalties (tonight is a great example) yet what does Jacques Martin do to get it into Gill's head? gives him more ice time, plays him on the PK.... On every night, when Gill has to make that first pass to get the attack going it ends up a turn over and we get stuck in our own zone....jeez I can't wait for o'byrne to come back just to get that guy out of the line up!
What do you want Martin to do with Gill? There are no NHL quality D man in hamilton who are ready yet and Gill was brought in as an insurance policy, #7 D, meant to be a PK specialist. That all went out the window with Markov and O'b dropping. When O'b is back, I wouldn't be surprised they play 7 D with one of the first line guys doble shifting on the 4th line occasionally and MAB on the PP splitting regular play duties with Gill who will mainly play PK with the occasional regular shift. That's how I would do it, but I am not the coach. However, right now, it's rock and a hard place time. Just have to suck it up.
Hal Gill, 2.250 million a season for 2 years, makes me question Bob Gainey's intellect.
I thought we wern't as bad as you say Mr. Boone. Better than Pittsburgh game. It was a 1-goal loss. Moen line was great. Chicago announcers like Price. Gomez was fantastic. I think he can help AK 46 get going.
Bergeron is terribly weak along the boards. He's good on offence and nothing else.
We have to hustle a lot more on those icings late in game, though, because we lose valuable seconds with those lackadasical touch ups. I remember in the glory days when Robinson, Lapointe, Savard etc would not lay back when coming in on one of those. Skate hard on those, boys.
Hateful leaves on Saturday nite always give us a tough time.
Yeh, Gill is bad, too.
Not sure what you're watching, but Gomez wasn't good at all. As a first line center he needs to do something. He wasn't good in the faceoff circle (especially the last 2 of the game!) didn't really create much on offense. He's terrible on the PP. Not very patient with the puck. Rushes things in the O-zone and doesn't seem poised. I think Pleks has definately been the best center on this team so far. Gomez is payed 7+ million and is a 1st line center. We must expect more than he has given so far this season. Looking like a bust so far.
It's interesting that the folks at RDS always shy away from criticizing their boys Lapierre and Lats, but they have no such hesitancy when guys like Kostitsyn or Chipchura screw up. Another night of no shows from the Quebec boys. It's going to be hard to win games (especially on the road) if half the forwards are not pulling their weight.
Everything is on Laps and Lats shoulder OMG!!
I predict you will whine about Leblanc when he makes it to the big club. Why? I don't know, you tell me... but i think I know.
-------------- We have a new team! Mike Komisarek: (-2)-0-(-2) Gainey Haters bandwagon ---> This way